Xiltas Crysten Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) Lately, there seems to be a trend in the gaming industry to sacrifice their main characters, as if they killed them off because they're done with them. I mean, why are they not allowed to live anymore? Why does the hero have to sacrifice himself all the time, why aren't they allowed to have a happy ending anymore? What's your opinion on this? Edited November 5, 2012 by Xiltas Shepard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk King Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Haha, I first read that as "Why do herpes have to die?" It makes them seem more heroic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.f.k.a. Howard Hughes Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 To create drama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJWalker Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) Instant Drama! Just add Hero's death. Edited November 5, 2012 by Ranger Jack Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 The absolute worst spoilers are the ones you can't defend against. Now I know the ending to a game I'm just beginning to enjoy. Awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chococoke Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 The absolute worst spoilers are the ones you can't defend against. Now I know the ending to a game I'm just beginning to enjoy. Awesome. Was just thinking the same thing. Womp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constable Reggie Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Why put heavy spoilers for a game that just came out with no warning? Also yes, to make the characters seem more heroic/create drama. Unless it's Call of Duty, in which it's just another abused cliche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenkiforecast Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 It can be done for a variety of reasons. Drama is one, but I think there is a more important aspect. A main character dying at the end of a story serves to complete their arc, in a sense. It is the end point for their story, as it is for the vast majority of human beings. In the best uses of a hero's death, it is to symbolize their full development as a character, or to show how they have progressed, or their qualities in the story. See Supergirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths, where it is her resolve and ultimately, bad luck (aside from editorial mandates) that lead to her death. My favorite is Spike at the end of Cowboy Bebop. His is actually more twisted, in a sense. He lets his past control him utterly and completely, and dies as a result. He does not need to fight Vicious at the end, but he cannot let himself leave his past. These are only two examples...it really varies from story to story. How it works outside of the story also changes. This is not advocating to kill off the main character or a supporting member (Cry for Justice is horrendous in that regard. Yes, kill off Roy Harper's daughter in one of the WORST WAYS IMAGINABLE), but make it have meaning. Stories are not reality, and people want a death to have meaning to the narrative. Without that meaning, the story is weakened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Why put heavy spoilers for a game that just came out with no warning? He does that all the time. He most likely won't care until someone does the same thing to him. @Topic: I have a better question for you. Why should heroes always survive? Doesn't a story in which the hero's survival is a foregone conclusion lose its spice? Don't all those dramatic and dangerous moments where the hero could die lose their meaning when you know beforehand that they won't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiltas Crysten Posted November 5, 2012 Author Share Posted November 5, 2012 Probably too late to apologize... @Scarlet: The hero should survive because he's gone through all the hardships to protect others, to do the right thing, because he sacrificed so much for others, that he deserves to have his rest. To live a peaceful life, together with the ones he loves. And I do care. I don't do it on purpose. I'm just... oblivious, I guess, for these sort of things... Why do you think I do it with malevolent intention, or all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeCrush980 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Heroes never die. A better question is why they lack the proper CON to wield axes and are the most susceptible to being RNG screwed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) The hero should survive because he's gone through all the hardships to protect others, to do the right thing, because he sacrificed so much for others, that he deserves to have his rest. To live a peaceful life, together with the ones he loves. Death also is a form of rest, depending on your view of things. Besides, life isn't fair. Never was. A lot of stories feature laser-guided Karma where the exact thing you expect is given to the hero all the time. But isn't that incredibly boring and predictable? Is your urge to have things "be right" so strong that you cannot enjoy a story that tries a different approach? Personally, I enjoy stories with bittersweet or even downer endings a lot more. Why do you think I do it with malevolent intention Because most of the people who post unmarked spoilers do it just to be dicks. or all the time? It's not the first time you've done this, that's why. @OrangeCrush: Dieck and Gerik have plenty of CON, what are you talking about Edited November 5, 2012 by Scarlet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I don't do it on purpose. I'm just... oblivious, I guess, for these sort of things... How are you oblivious to these things? It's impossible to be oblivious to this. You even used language in the spoiler that stresses that it was a new event. In the future, if you're grouping them together and don't want to spoil the content just say "WARNING: CONTENTS INCLUDE SHIT THAT IS <1 MONTH OLD." It would probably stop from ruining an ending to a franchise that people have invested years of their lives into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ein Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 What series was spoiled anyway? I wanna say Assassin's Creed 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 What series was spoiled anyway? I wanna say Assassin's Creed 3. [spoiler=WARNING: CONTENTS INCLUDE SHIT THAT IS <1 MONTH OLD]Yeah. ;__________; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I think it's also used to break the cliche, "The hero defeats the big bad and lives happily after", which had been quite common once. I like tragic stories and tragic endings, but I wouldn't mind seeing the hero triumph and get what he deserves in the end from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrhesia Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Esau, part of me wanted to hit that spoiler so badly. Then the part of me that wanted to say this message almost clicked Reply to your post. STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Esau, part of me wanted to hit that spoiler so badly. Then the part of me that wanted to say this message almost clicked Reply to your post. STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID I have actually had things spoiled for me when forgetting that spoilers are just made into tags in replies. All of my feels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Alear Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 An absolute spoiler is absolutely impossible to defend against :( Spoils absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Refa Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 It all went downhill after Chrono Trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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